Automatic light indicator for pianos



' 1,642,810 I. B. GRIMALDI v AUTOMATIC LIGHT INDICATOR FOR PIANOS Sept. 20, 1927.

Filed July 21, 1925 INVENTOR Patented Sept. 20, 1927.

UNITED ST TE$ 1,642,810 PA NT 1 i IeNa'rIUs 'B. smitten 151,01 Bnooxrirn, ew Yonx.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT I NIQIGA TOR FOR PIANOS 6* Application fil ed July 21, 1925; Serial No. 44,979.

a This invention relates to improvements in devices for teaching the playing of piano or other key-operated music instruments, and it is the principal object of the invention to provide a player piano with means for indicating the key to be played for the sounding of a certain note of a plece of music. i i V Another obj ect'of the invention is the provision of a player piano with'contact closers to close electrical circuits over a battery and a plurality of lamps to visibly indicate the tune corresponding to the note so as to enable a scholar'to follow by the depressions of the keycorrespondingto the note or tune indicated by the lamp and'thus to master by practicing in a short time, the playing of the piano. r

A further object of the invention is the 0 provision of a substitute means for the pedals of a'player piano as for instance, a hand wheel orfa spring. i

'These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become more fully known as the descriptionthereof proceeds, and Wlll then be more specifically defined in the ap pended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a player-piano equipped with the device constructed according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modified form of player-piano operation.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, and illustrates another modification.

Fig. 5 is an. enlarged end elevation of a music roll.

A player piano 10 of any customary well known construction, including a keyboard 11, and foot-operated pedals 12 and 13, has attached to the shaft for said pedals 14, one end of a link 15, the other end of which is pivotally attached to the lower end of a bar 16, the upper end of which is pivoted to a link 17, secured to a shaft 18 carrying a gear wheel 19 in mesh with a gear wheel 20 on a shaft 21 which also carries a roller 22 for the sheet of music 23.

The shaft 18 carries also a ratchet Wheel 24 between the teeth of which a pawl 25 engages, pivoted to a shaft 26 having a pin 27 mounted thereon, to which one end of a sprlngiZS is attached, the other end cf which is secured to the piano framei perforated sheet of music 23 is then guided over a roller 32 on a metallic shaft 33, and aplurality of-fingers '34 having pins 35 at their ends which engage the holes in the music sheets and are'pivotally secured intermediate their e nds, as at 36, to apart of the piano 10 and are adapted to produce" the sound inthe ordinary well-known manner.

The upper ends of the fingers carry on one side contact plates or pieces 37 adapted, during, the playing of the piano, to make contactwithjsimilar contact pieces 38 on the inner faces of the lower endslof springs 39 having their upper ends attached to the piano frame by means ofbolts40, secured the wires 41 of circuits leading to one of.

the poles of batteries 42. The other pole of the battery is connected by wires43 to lamp sockets 44 for lamps 45, which are also con nected by wires 46 to the roller sl1aft'33j u Springs 48 connect the outer faces" of arms 34 with the piano frame, in order to make and break the contact engagement elastically. r

It will be clear that during the operation of the foot pedals of the player piano in the usual well known manner, the sheet of music will be fed by the fingers which successively and alternately engage in the holes of the sheet to produce the music in the Wellknown manner.

During the operation, a circuit will be successively and alternatingly closed over roller 33, the battery and the lamps over the contacts 37 and 38, so that the lamp corresponding to the tune played, will be illuminated and a scholar can follow the successively illuminated lamps by depressing the respective key indicated by the illuminated lamp, and in this manner, by a limited practice, learn to play the music piece.

In Figure 3, I have shown a modified form I of operating the roller 22 by means of a hand wheel 49 on the shaft of which a gear In FigureA another modifieation is illustrated-Iaiccordih'g to'which a spring 52Zi's located within a casing 53 having one end secured to a shaft 54 adaptedto be operated by, a Winged key 55 an'd'Which carries a gear56' tails oft'he invention, Without departure from' thespirit of the invention and the' principle involved;

Having; thus descrlbedmy invention What Iclai mas new, and desireto secure by Letters Patentis lx A'devicepfor teaching music, particularly" piano playlngcomprising a player p ano a frame in said-player 131%}!10, a IIIHSIC roll, rotatively mounted on said frame, a

roller shaft rotatively' mounted in said frame, a-sheet attached-to said music roll having perforations therein and adaptedto be drawn over said roller shaft,- a stationary contact; mounted on said player piano, a

' lever pivotally'mounted on said player pianoadapted at one end to'enga-ge said-stationarycontaet and adapted at the other end to engage said music sheet, and-to project through the perforations therein and contact With said roller shaft, electric bulbs mounted on said. piano, and an electric circuit comprising a battery 'ele'ct'rically'connected in series ithsaid stationary; contact, and bulb, said. lever being adapted to electrically connect said-stationary: contact With said roller shaft when the end of said lever extends through a? perforation in said music sheet for pro ducing a predetermined signal; r

c 2. A device for teaching; music particularly piano playing comprising a player'pi= ano, a roller shaft mounted in said playerpiand adapted t'oguide the music sheets thereof, -a stationary contact member mounted on said piano, a lever pivotally mounted on said pianoi comprising 4 a contact member adapted to engage said" stationary" contact member, aprojection on said lever adapted to ride upon said music sheet andto extend through the "perforations therein and I contact with said roller shaft, an electric bulb mounted in" said piano,- and' an'electric ci'rcuit comprising a' battery electrically connected With said stationary contact and roller shaft, said lever being adapted-to-electrically connectsaid roller shaft and sta tionary' contact Whe-n the'projection ofsaidleverextends through the perforations of said music sheet for completing an electric circuit through said bulb and battery.

In testimony whereof- I-haveaflix-ed my signature c .a a IG-NATIUS B. GRIMALDI. 

